83 FR 55893 - Request for Public Comment on the Proposed Adoption of Administration for Native Americans Program Policies and Procedures
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 217 (November 8, 2018)
Administration for Children and Families
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 217 (November 8, 2018)
| Page Range | 55893-55894 | |
| FR Document | 2018-24458 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 217 (Thursday, November 8, 2018)] [Notices] [Pages 55893-55894] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-24458] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families Request for Public Comment on the Proposed Adoption of Administration for Native Americans Program Policies and Procedures CFDA Numbers: 93.581, 93.587, 93.612 AGENCY: Administration for Native Americans, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Notice for public comment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (NAPA), as amended, the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) is required to provide members of the public an opportunity to comment on proposed changes in interpretive rules and general statements of policy and to give notice of the final adoption of such changes no less than 30 days before such changes become effective. In accordance with notice requirements of NAPA, ANA herein describes proposed interpretive rules and general statements of policy that relate to ANA's funding opportunities beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. Changes to FY 2019 Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) will be based on the following previously published programs: Environmental Regulatory Enhancement (ERE), HHS-2018-ACF-ANA-NR-1344; Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance-Esther Martinez Immersion (EMI), HHS-2018-ACF-ANA-NB- 1343; Native American Language Preservation and Maintenance (P&M), HHS- 2018-ACF-ANA-NL-1342; Social and Economic Development Strategies (SEDS), HHS-2018-ACF-ANA-NA-1339; Social and Economic Development Strategies-Alaska (SEDS-AK), HHS-2018-ACF-ANA-NK-1340; and Native Youth Initiative for Leadership, Empowerment, and Development (ILEAD), HHS- 2018-ACF-ANA-NC-1341. DATES: Comments are due by December 10, 2018. ADDRESSES: Comments in response to this notice should be addressed to Carmelia Strickland, Director of Program Operations, Administration for Native Americans, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201. Delays may occur in mail delivery to federal offices; therefore, a copy of comments should be emailed to [email protected]. Comments will be available for inspection by members of the public at the Administration for Native Americans, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmelia Strickland, Director, Division of Program Operations, Administration for Native Americans, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201. Telephone: (877) 922-9262; Email: [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 814 of NAPA, as amended, incorporates provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act that require ANA to provide notice of its proposed interpretive rules and statements of policy and to seek public comment on such proposals. This notice serves to fulfill the statutory notice and public comment requirement. ANA has also chosen to provide notice of its proposed rules of agency practice and procedure. The proposed interpretive rules, statements of policy, and rules of ANA practice and procedure reflected in clarifications, modifications, and new text will appear in the five FY 2019 FOAs: ERE, EMI, P&M, SEDS, and SEDS-AK. This notice also reflects ANA's elimination of the ILEAD FOA. ANA's current FOAs can be accessed at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/office/ana or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/. Synopses and application forms will be available on https://www.grants.gov. A. Interpretive rules, statements of policy, procedures, and practice. The proposals below reflect ANA's proposed changes in rules, policy, or procedure which will take effect in the FY 2019 FOAs. 1. Elimination of the ILEAD FOA. In FY 2019, ANA will no longer publish a FOA for the ILEAD program. ILEAD was established in FY 2015 as a demonstration project with a focus on identifying best practices and effective strategies for working with, and developing leadership among Native American youth. In the first year, ANA funded five cooperative agreements under the program. Due to an overwhelming response to the initiative, ANA published subsequent ILEAD FOAs in FY 2016 and FY 2017, and funded an additional 19 grants. The purpose of the ILEAD program was to work with a cohort of recipients to identify best practices and youth-driven solutions to enhance the development of future leaders for Native communities. In addition, the ILEAD program limited the targeted beneficiaries of the youth between 14 and 24 years of age. ANA proposes to discontinue publication of the ILEAD FOA for FY 2019 to ensure that all projects previously funded under the initiative have the benefit of working as a cohort, which was established and is led by the initial 5 cooperative agreements. Currently, all funded ILEAD projects have project periods that end on or before September 29, 2021. Youth projects previously eligible for funding under the ILEAD program are still eligible for funding under ANA's SEDS program, which has a higher funding ceiling of up to $400,000 instead of $300,000 per budget period. 2. Assurance of Community Representation on Board of Directors. ANA has a long-standing policy to require that applicants, other than tribes or Alaska Native villages, must show that a majority of board members are representative of a Native American community to be served. Applicants [[Page 55894]] must submit documentation that identifies each board member by name and indicates his/her affiliation or relationship to at least one of ANA's three categories of community representation, which include: (1) Members of federally or state-recognized tribes; (2) persons who are recognized by members of the eligible Native American community to be served as having a cultural relationship with that community; or (3) persons considered to be Native American as defined in 45 CFR 1336.10 and Native American Pacific Islanders as defined in Section 815 of NAPA. ANA wishes to clarify that the second category of community representation requires a ``cultural'' relationship defined as lineage, familial, marriage, or other traditional or social connection to the community and not a business or work relationship, (e.g. person that owns a business or is employed by an organization that serves the Native community). Applicants that do not include this documentation will be considered non-responsive, and the application will not be considered for competition. 3. Only One Active Award Per CFDA Number. ANA has a long-standing policy that organizations can have no more than one active award per Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for an ANA program at any given time. SEDS, SEDS-AK, Native Assets Building Initiative (NABI), and ILEAD have the same CFDA number 93.612. From FY 2016 to FY 2018, ANA allowed an exception for organizations that were applying for the ILEAD FOA to also have an award for SEDS, SEDS-AK, or NABI even though they had the same CFDA number as ILEAD. For FY 2019, this exception will not be available to any currently funded ILEAD grantees; therefore, the policy will remain effective to limit the number of awards an organization can have under a single CFDA number. This policy change will allow other Native communities without current ANA funding to receive an award and therefore increase the impact of funding in more communities. 4. Evaluation Criteria. In FY 2018, ANA made substantial revisions to the application requirements and evaluation criteria included in our FOAs. The purpose of these revisions were to shift from a deficit- based, to strengths-based approach for application planning and development, as well as to emphasize a community-based approach to project planning and implementation. ANA stands behind the revisions made in FY 2018 and does not plan to change the information being requested. However, during the panel review process, ANA received feedback that the revised evaluation criteria was difficult to understand and apply. In FY 2019, ANA will reorder the evaluation criteria and include sub-criteria with smaller point allotments. We will also remove duplications and clarify language. ANA proposes the following Evaluation criteria scores for FY 2019: Expected Outcomes for a maximum of 35 points, to consist of: Long Term Community Goal (2 points), Current Community Condition (5 points); Project Goal (4 points); Objectives (7 points); Outcomes and Indicators (7 points); Outputs (5 points); Outcome Tracking Strategy (4 points); and Outcome Tracker (1 point). Approach for a maximum of 50 points, to consist of: Planning, Readiness and Implementation Strategy (20 points); Community-Based Strategy (8 points); Personnel, Partnerships and Organizational Capacity (12 points); and the Objective Work Plan (OWP) (10 points). Budget and Budget Justification for a maximum of 15 points, to consist of: Line Item Budget (5 points) and Budget Justification (10 points). These changes are meant to reorganize the information into smaller point allotments in order to make ANA's evaluation criterion more approachable, and to build consistency in the number of points being allocated for specific application information. As a result of the changes to criteria scoring, ANA will not use a Scoring Guide in its FY 2019 FOAs. 5. Changes to SEDS-AK FOA. ANA plans to modify the description of program purpose for the SEDS-AK FOA to provide an area of interest for economic growth. In addition, ANA wants to provide a competitive advantage for smaller Alaska Native villages or organizations that have never received ANA funding. Therefore, the FOA will state that reviewers may add up to 5 bonus points in the scoring criteria if an eligible entity that has never received an ANA award. ANA staff will confirm during the objective review process whether or not an applicant organization for SEDS-AK has received a past ANA award. Statutory Authority: Section 814 of the Native American Programs Act of 1974 (NAPA), as amended. Jean Hovland, Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans. [FR Doc. 2018-24458 Filed 11-7-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4184-34-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 217 / Thursday, November 8, 2018 / Notices 55893
102–3.140 through 102–3.165, and Administration for Native Americans chosen to provide notice of its proposed
subject to the availability of space, this (ANA) is required to provide members rules of agency practice and procedure.
meeting is open to the public. Seating is of the public an opportunity to The proposed interpretive rules,
on a first to arrive basis. Security comment on proposed changes in statements of policy, and rules of ANA
screening and a photo ID are required. interpretive rules and general practice and procedure reflected in
Space and parking is limited. The statements of policy and to give notice clarifications, modifications, and new
building is fully accessible to of the final adoption of such changes no text will appear in the five FY 2019
individuals with disabilities. less than 30 days before such changes FOAs: ERE, EMI, P&M, SEDS, and
Written Statements: Pursuant to 41 become effective. In accordance with SEDS–AK. This notice also reflects
CFR 102–3.105(j) and 102–3.140 and notice requirements of NAPA, ANA ANA’s elimination of the ILEAD FOA.
section 10(a)(3) of the FACA, the public herein describes proposed interpretive ANA’s current FOAs can be accessed
may submit written statements in rules and general statements of policy at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/
response to the stated agenda of the that relate to ANA’s funding foa/office/ana or http://
meeting or to the committee’s mission opportunities beginning in Fiscal Year www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/.
in general. Organizations with (FY) 2019. Changes to FY 2019 Funding Synopses and application forms will be
recommendations on best practices are Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) available on https://www.grants.gov.
encouraged to submit their comments or will be based on the following A. Interpretive rules, statements of
resources (hyperlinks preferred). previously published programs: policy, procedures, and practice. The
Written comments or statements Environmental Regulatory Enhancement proposals below reflect ANA’s proposed
received after November 19, 2018, may (ERE), HHS–2018–ACF–ANA–NR–1344; changes in rules, policy, or procedure
not be provided to the Committee until Native American Language Preservation which will take effect in the FY 2019
its next meeting. and Maintenance-Esther Martinez FOAs.
Verbal Statements: Pursuant to 41 Immersion (EMI), HHS–2018–ACF– 1. Elimination of the ILEAD FOA. In
CFR 102–3.140(d), the Committee is not ANA–NB–1343; Native American FY 2019, ANA will no longer publish a
obligated to allow a member of the Language Preservation and Maintenance FOA for the ILEAD program. ILEAD was
public to speak or otherwise address the (P&M), HHS–2018–ACF–ANA–NL– established in FY 2015 as a
Committee during the meeting. 1342; Social and Economic demonstration project with a focus on
Members of the public are invited to Development Strategies (SEDS), HHS– identifying best practices and effective
provide verbal statements during the 2018–ACF–ANA–NA–1339; Social and strategies for working with, and
Committee meeting only at the time and Economic Development Strategies- developing leadership among Native
manner described in the agenda. The Alaska (SEDS–AK), HHS–2018–ACF– American youth. In the first year, ANA
request to speak should include a brief ANA–NK–1340; and Native Youth funded five cooperative agreements
statement of the subject matter to be Initiative for Leadership, Empowerment, under the program. Due to an
addressed and should be relevant to the and Development (ILEAD), HHS–2018– overwhelming response to the initiative,
stated agenda of the meeting or the ACF–ANA–NC–1341. ANA published subsequent ILEAD
Committee’s mission in general. DATES: Comments are due by December
FOAs in FY 2016 and FY 2017, and
Minutes: The minutes of this meeting 10, 2018. funded an additional 19 grants. The
will be available for public review and purpose of the ILEAD program was to
ADDRESSES: Comments in response to
copying within 90 days at: https:// work with a cohort of recipients to
this notice should be addressed to identify best practices and youth-driven
www.acf.hhs.gov/otip/partnerships/the- Carmelia Strickland, Director of
national-advisory-committee. solutions to enhance the development of
Program Operations, Administration for future leaders for Native communities.
Dated: October 31, 2018. Native Americans, 330 C Street SW, In addition, the ILEAD program limited
Lynn A. Johnson, Washington, DC 20201. Delays may the targeted beneficiaries of the youth
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families. occur in mail delivery to federal offices; between 14 and 24 years of age. ANA
[FR Doc. 2018–24475 Filed 11–7–18; 8:45 am] therefore, a copy of comments should be proposes to discontinue publication of
BILLING CODE 4184–40–P emailed to ANAComments@acf.hhs.gov. the ILEAD FOA for FY 2019 to ensure
Comments will be available for that all projects previously funded
inspection by members of the public at under the initiative have the benefit of
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND the Administration for Native working as a cohort, which was
HUMAN SERVICES Americans, 330 C Street SW, established and is led by the initial 5
Washington, DC 20201. cooperative agreements. Currently, all
Administration for Children and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: funded ILEAD projects have project
Families Carmelia Strickland, Director, Division periods that end on or before September
of Program Operations, Administration 29, 2021. Youth projects previously
Request for Public Comment on the
for Native Americans, 330 C Street SW, eligible for funding under the ILEAD
Proposed Adoption of Administration
Washington, DC 20201. Telephone: program are still eligible for funding
for Native Americans Program Policies
(877) 922–9262; Email: under ANA’s SEDS program, which has
and Procedures
ANAComments@acf.hhs.gov. a higher funding ceiling of up to
CFDA Numbers: 93.581, 93.587, 93.612 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section $400,000 instead of $300,000 per budget
AGENCY: Administration for Native 814 of NAPA, as amended, incorporates period.
Americans, Administration for Children provisions of the Administrative 2. Assurance of Community
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
and Families, Department of Health and Procedure Act that require ANA to Representation on Board of Directors.
Human Services. provide notice of its proposed ANA has a long-standing policy to
ACTION: Notice for public comment. interpretive rules and statements of require that applicants, other than tribes
policy and to seek public comment on or Alaska Native villages, must show
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Native such proposals. This notice serves to that a majority of board members are
American Programs Act of 1974 fulfill the statutory notice and public representative of a Native American
(NAPA), as amended, the comment requirement. ANA has also community to be served. Applicants
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![55894 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 217 / Thursday, November 8, 2018 / Notices
must submit documentation that received feedback that the revised DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
identifies each board member by name evaluation criteria was difficult to HUMAN SERVICES
and indicates his/her affiliation or understand and apply. In FY 2019, ANA
relationship to at least one of ANA’s will reorder the evaluation criteria and Administration for Children and
three categories of community include sub-criteria with smaller point Families
representation, which include: (1) allotments. We will also remove
Members of federally or state-recognized Data Exchange Standards for
duplications and clarify language. ANA
tribes; (2) persons who are recognized Improved Interoperability of Multiple
proposes the following Evaluation Human Service Programs
by members of the eligible Native criteria scores for FY 2019:
American community to be served as AGENCY: Office of Planning, Research &
having a cultural relationship with that Expected Outcomes for a maximum of 35
points, to consist of: Long Term Community
Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for
community; or (3) persons considered to Children and Families (ACF),
be Native American as defined in 45 Goal (2 points), Current Community
Condition (5 points); Project Goal (4 points); Department of Health and Human
CFR 1336.10 and Native American Services (HHS).
Pacific Islanders as defined in Section Objectives (7 points); Outcomes and
Indicators (7 points); Outputs (5 points); ACTION: Request for comments.
815 of NAPA. ANA wishes to clarify
that the second category of community Outcome Tracking Strategy (4 points); and
Outcome Tracker (1 point).
SUMMARY: A series of statutory changes 1
representation requires a ‘‘cultural’’ in recent years require ACF to issue a
relationship defined as lineage, familial, Approach for a maximum of 50 points, to
consist of: Planning, Readiness and regulation to establish standards for data
marriage, or other traditional or social exchange for the Social Security Act
connection to the community and not a Implementation Strategy (20 points);
Community-Based Strategy (8 points); Title IV programs for child welfare and
business or work relationship, (e.g. foster care (title IV–B and IV–E), child
person that owns a business or is Personnel, Partnerships and Organizational
Capacity (12 points); and the Objective Work support (title IV–D), and Temporary
employed by an organization that serves Assistance for Needy Families (TANF,
the Native community). Applicants that Plan (OWP) (10 points).
Budget and Budget Justification for a title IV–A). ACF is seeking public
do not include this documentation will comment on the most effective
be considered non-responsive, and the maximum of 15 points, to consist of: Line
Item Budget (5 points) and Budget approaches and technological tools to
application will not be considered for meet the statutory requirements,
competition. Justification (10 points).
support program objectives, and expand
3. Only One Active Award Per CFDA These changes are meant to reorganize the ability of these programs to use,
Number. ANA has a long-standing
the information into smaller point share, and analyze data for improved
policy that organizations can have no
allotments in order to make ANA’s outcomes.
more than one active award per Catalog
of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) evaluation criterion more approachable, DATES: Written comments must be
number for an ANA program at any and to build consistency in the number submitted to the office listed in the
given time. SEDS, SEDS–AK, Native of points being allocated for specific ADDRESSES section below on or before
Assets Building Initiative (NABI), and application information. As a result of January 7, 2019.
ILEAD have the same CFDA number the changes to criteria scoring, ANA ADDRESSES: Interested persons may
93.612. From FY 2016 to FY 2018, ANA will not use a Scoring Guide in its FY submit written comments by any of the
allowed an exception for organizations 2019 FOAs. following methods:
that were applying for the ILEAD FOA 5. Changes to SEDS–AK FOA. ANA • Email: DataRx@acf.hhs.gov. Please
to also have an award for SEDS, SEDS– plans to modify the description of include ‘‘Comments on Data Exchange
AK, or NABI even though they had the program purpose for the SEDS–AK FOA Standards Federal Register Notice’’ in
same CFDA number as ILEAD. For FY to provide an area of interest for the subject line of the message.
2019, this exception will not be economic growth. In addition, ANA • Mail or Courier Delivery: c/o Chris
available to any currently funded ILEAD Traver, Senior Advisor, Division of Data
wants to provide a competitive
grantees; therefore, the policy will & Improvement, Office of Planning,
advantage for smaller Alaska Native
remain effective to limit the number of Research, and Evaluation,
awards an organization can have under villages or organizations that have never Administration for Children and
a single CFDA number. This policy received ANA funding. Therefore, the Families, 330 C Street SW, Washington,
change will allow other Native FOA will state that reviewers may add DC 20201.
communities without current ANA up to 5 bonus points in the scoring Instructions: We urge you to submit
funding to receive an award and criteria if an eligible entity that has comments electronically to ensure they
therefore increase the impact of funding never received an ANA award. ANA are received in a timely manner. All
in more communities. staff will confirm during the objective comments received may be posted
4. Evaluation Criteria. In FY 2018, review process whether or not an publicly including any personal
ANA made substantial revisions to the applicant organization for SEDS–AK has information provided. Please be aware
application requirements and evaluation received a past ANA award. that mail via the U.S. Postal Service may
criteria included in our FOAs. The take an additional 3 to 4 days to process.
Statutory Authority: Section 814 of the
purpose of these revisions were to shift If you choose to use an express,
Native American Programs Act of 1974
from a deficit-based, to strengths-based overnight, or other special delivery
(NAPA), as amended.
approach for application planning and method, please ensure first that they are
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
development, as well as to emphasize a Jean Hovland,
community-based approach to project Commissioner, Administration for Native 1 Public Law 112–34 for child welfare programs
planning and implementation. ANA Americans. (SSA Title IV–B); Public Law 112–96 for TANF
stands behind the revisions made in FY programs (SSA Title IV–A); Section 304 of Public
[FR Doc. 2018–24458 Filed 11–7–18; 8:45 am] Law 113–183 for child support programs (SSA Title
2018 and does not plan to change the IV–D); and Public Law 115–123 to amend the prior
BILLING CODE 4184–34–P
information being requested. However, TANF (IV–A) language and add language for foster
during the panel review process, ANA care programs (SSA Title IV–E).
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Document Created: 2018-11-08 06:23:28
Document Modified: 2018-11-08 06:23:28
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice for public comment. | |
| Dates | Comments are due by December 10, 2018. | |
| Contact | Carmelia Strickland, Director, Division of Program Operations, Administration for Native Americans, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201. Telephone: (877) 922-9262; Email: [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 55893 |
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